Orioles option catcher Chris Snyder to Triple-A Norfolk

ST. PETERSBUG, Fla. -- The Orioles optioned catcher Chris Snyder to Triple-A Norfolk, the club announced on Friday.

Because of his major league service time, Snyder can either accept the assignment or choose to become a free agent.

Snyder was designated for assignment Tuesday so the team could activate catcher Taylor Teagarden from the disabled list. He cleared waivers before being optioned to Norfolk.

The Orioles would like to keep Snyder because he gives them a valuable veteran backstop to be third on the organization’s depth chart behind Matt Wieters and Teagarden. But the Orioles needed 40-man space.